All posts by Kev Brock

I'm a musician, singer/songwriter, blogger, writer, poet, bodybuilder, movie lover, music lover, video gamer, history/political buff, conservative/republican, etc. I like to do a lot of things.

Report: Eminem goes to Elton John to get clean, instead of going to rehab….

Reports going around the web, saying that rapper Eminem is going to his longtime friend, Elton John, for help on getting clean. Yes, it does seem that Eminem and Elton are very close friends. The two collaborated on one of Eminem’s songs called, “Stan”.

Eminem’s new album, “Relapse” are all songs about him struggling with prescription pills addiction. Elton John is willing to help anyone get clean knowing from his own experience of being addicted to pills.

More on it here:

http://www.nme.com/news/elton-john/49056

Lets hope Elton knows what he’s doing, I wish Eminem well so he won’t be the next dead celebrity.

Kev

Report: Child abuse organizations trying to get the Who off the Superbowl gig….

As predicted, Child Abuse organizations are desperately trying to get the Who off the Superbowl halftime gig. The Who were officially booked to play this year’s Superbowl halftime. As some may know, Pete Townshend was in trouble years back by looking up child pornography online as for research from his own child abuse experience as a child for an autobiography he was writing. He admitted to doing it but he was cleared of the charges after knowing it was just research.

http://www.nme.com/news/the-who/49055

What do you think? Do you think the Who should be able to play the Superbowl?

I vote yes.

I think Pete is innocent and of course, some others will always think he’s guilty no matter the situation. Pete was cleared of the charges, let the man move on already, you jealous bastards!

Kev

“Paranormal Activity” was true horror at it’s best, and you haters out there know it!!!

When the film “Paranormal Activity” first came out earlier in the year, the film became a huge success and it was a controversial film. It was being advertised and hyped as the “most scariest” horror film of all time. The film is about a young couple that moves into a home and discovers the home being haunted. So Micah, the boyfriend does some investigation to hunt for this ghost or a demon or maybe it could be a live human being trying to scare the shit out of them. You just never know which one it could be. The boyfriend, Micah, obsesssively tries to track down this ghost that he may thinks it would be by talking with it by an Ouijia Board and filming everything with a video camera. The ghost or this demon seems to be more interested in his girlfriend, Katie and not him. Micah would even film the couple while they’re sleeping in bed so they can videotape what the ghost is doing at night while they are asleep. Strange things happen in the house, like loud banging noises and the Oujia board moving by itself, all that ghostly stuff.

Throughout the film, you try to figure out if all this ghost stuff was supposed to be real in it. Like if Katie or Micah was faking it, fooling around with this ghost thing. The whole film was mysterious. The writer of the film did a great job keeping the film unpredictable, and that’s what horror films needs. Being unpredictable. Being scary, doesn’t always have to be about blood and guts, and naked women. Leave that to the teen slasher flicks. The film was trashed and hated on by critics and movie fans. I would have to say that they are all wrong. In defense of this movie, I would have to say this is a true horror film. Yes, it was actually very scary, the way horror should have been. The film had a very shocking ending, it even shocked me.

I want to say that I absolutely liked the film a lot. Why can’t horror films of today be like this? Films that are dark and creepy without murder and not being a popcorn flick? The film was shot very low budget, handheld camera type, the way it should be. The film was pretty realistic. I liked this film more than the, “Blare Witch Project” for many reasons. The “Blare Witch Project” was aweful, but “Paranormal Activity” was better.

This film, “P.A.” has all the things that the horror genre have been missing for many years!!! It kept you questioning. It kept you guessing, oh my god, what will happen now. Things like that. You keep thinking, what will happen to that couple. Will they live or will they die? It was very close to being an Edgar Allan Poe or an H.P. Lovecraft story. Something that Stephen King would have written too even.

As for the alternate ending of, “P.A.”, many people think the alternate ending was better and people say it would be a better movie if they used the alternate ending but I disagree. I’m glad the alternate ending wasn’t used, ’cause there is a reason they took it out and wouldn’t work. It wouldn’t make any sense if they used it. They had to keep it mysterious as possible. Things you have to ask yourself, was this Katie girl possesed? Or was she perfectly sane and was in a murderous rampage?

So for those who hate it, have to think about these things. I love films like “Quarantine”, “The Strangers” and “Paranormal Activity” ’cause they were true horror films that were very scary. We need more horror films like this. Forget the blood and guts, and the entertaining popcorn slashers, that’s not horror. This is. Maybe that’s why people hated, “P.A.” because they were used to seeing all the new mainstream horror films and they couldn’t get used to seeing something different.

The director and writer of this film, Oren Peli, is a genius. This will be a classic and essential film 20 years from now. I’m going to have to buy my own copy of the DVD and now I wished I’ve seen this in theater. If so many people hated it and said it was crap, maybe that was the whole point, trying to get people to be disturbed by it. Maybe it was the director’s intention to get people not to like it, if you know what I mean. If so many people didn’t like it, then he succeeded of making this a great movie.

This movie was wonderfully done. Loved it!

Kev

BREAKING NEWS: Soundgarden is reuniting, yes, this is for real!

Chris Cornell announced on his official website, that Soundgarden is officially reuniting for a tour and a possible new album. Look like the band’s been waiting to announce this on New Year’s Day. Yes, that means Chris Cornell, Kim Thayill, Ben Sheperd, and Matt Cameron are all coming back! This is the best news I’ve heard in years ’cause Soundgarden is one of my favorite bands and they’re heros of mine. They’re one of the most unique and powerful metal bands out there. I loved all of their music. When they go on tour in 2010 and if they come to Albany for the Times Union Center, I’m so fucking there! Soundgarden coming back after 12 years! This is awesome. Most band reunions are silly and stupid, but this is an important one that is worth happening. I hope they come out with a new album, they probably will.

http://www.soundgardenworld.com/

Oh yeah, and happy new year!

Kev

Cool Video: Ashton Holmes performs with his old band Method of Groove at Valentine’s for a reunion show…

Movie star, Ashton Holmes, returned to Albany over Christmas weekend to reunite with his old band he used to play with back in 1999, a band called Method of Groove. That year in ’99, they release a CD titled, “448 Pearl” which I bought off Ashton himself years back and still have the CD. Method of Groove used to be one of my favorite local bands back then. In  this video, here they are playing acoustically. It’s obvious Albany still remembers them ’cause it sounds like they had quite a crowd there that night and the audience was singing along with them a little bit with this song.

It would be  cool if Ashton would come back to music full time in Albany, but I doubt it. This was probably a one off thing since I’m sure Ashton came back to Albany to visit friends and family for the Holidays. Ashton Holmes is an actor for movies and Broadway. So I’m sure he’s concentrating on that more.

Good to see him doing Method of Groove again for old time’s sake though. It be kind of cool if they go back in the studio and put out a new record for Albany, but who knows, maybe it’ll actually happen. Method of Groove was one of the great local bands back in those days and still listen to their CD.

Kev

Report: Comedy Central no longer wants Jeff Dunham, the hand puppet guy…

A popular comedian that is just getting mainstream, Jeff Dunham, is no longer going to be aired on Comedy Central. Comedy Central announced, they have no plans to renew his show for a second season. Reason? Low ratings, of course. “The Jeff Dunham Show”, only lasted one season on Comedy Central.

More on it here:

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BT05J20091230?type=televisionNews

This sucks for Jeff as he is very talented and funny, I like him, but this still doesn’t mean the end of him. Jeff Dunham is currently doing a US Tour. Yes, Albany, he is coming to the Times Union Center on January 14th, so that’ll be sometihng to look forward to.

I’m sure another TV station will pick him up. Maybe NBC will give him a show, who knows. I’m sure Jeff will find him a new TV show somewhere. It’s only a matter of time. He’s a cool dude.

Kev

Why all these remakes? Here’s why…

A lot of remakes for classic films for the last few years. Why is this you may ask? Yes, remakes are bashed the hell out of. Many people say they can’t touch the original, never better than the original. The film should have never been made, blah blah blah blah, etc. Well, you know what. This is more evidence that movie fans don’t know how the hollywood business works. Is it about the money with these remakes for box office hits? Yes, that’s part of it, but there’s a more important reason why all these remakes are happening.

The reason for these remakes is that it helps promotes the original film. Whether you like the remake or not, it’s all about helping the original getting known again. It  helps attract people to the original film. If the remake comes out and someone never heard of it or never saw the original, they think to themselves, “Gee, I better see the original”.

Just today, when getting in a conversation about movies with someone, I mentioned, I wanted to see the “Clash of the Titans” remake. Well that person never heard of it and didn’t even know it was a remake of another movie. Not a lot of people around this time, doesn’t watch classic films which is why they didn’t even know it was a remake. There’s a new generation of young kids today. I’m sure many of them never heard of “Clash of the Titans” or “A Nightmare On Elm St”, but they first hear of them when the remakes come out.

Remakes maybe silly and wrong, but this is the reason Hollywood is doing them, so people can know the classics again. Today, these classics are forgotten. I have no problem with remakes at all as they are actually helping the original films. The “Friday the 13th” remake for example, not a lot of people around today haven’t even seen the earlier films. I think you get the idea now?

Do you think people today have heard of the movies, “Citizen Kane” or “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”? I’m sure kids of this generation haven’t even heard of those movies, and those two movies I mentioned could get remade one day. That’s what it’s all about, folks, drawing people to the original films. Not all remakes are bad however, there are actually great ones out there.

Kev

Report: Tim Allen speaks on his directorial debut, “Crazy On the Outside”…

Former, “Home Improvement” star and “Toy Story” star, Tim Allen speaks on his directorial debut with the comedy, “Crazy On the Outside”. He also stars in it along with Sigourney Weaver, Ray Liotta, and Kelsey Grammer. Tim Allen says this is the hardest he’s ever worked. He’s even spent his own money from his pockets to get this movie made, he marketed it and put out this movie himself. He said he was inspired by Kevin Costner to do all this himself. Kevin Costner even taught him some things. As Kevin is also an actor and film director himself. Tim is also getting huge respects from his cast mates as well.

More on it here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091229/ap_en_tv/us_film_tim_allen_goes_crazy

Congrats to Tim. Respects to him from me as well. Kudos.

I’m glad Tim Allen is finally directing his own films ’cause he is a comic genius and I’m sure this movie will be a funny one. If the trailer is good enough, maybe I’ll see it.

Kev

Film Review: Sherlock Holmes

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams

Directed by: Guy Ritchie

Today I just saw the movie, “Sherlock Holmes”, and here is my review:

Plot/Synopsis: The film is taken place in London during the 1800’s just like the original Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. It is actually the year 1891 in the film. Serial killer, Lord Blackwood who is also a sorcerer is caught and arrested. He was also executed by being hanged. Somehow Lord Blackwood is still alive and escaped from his grave. Holmes and his partner, Watson (who is played by the great Jude Law), were asked by law enforcement to help track down Blackwood. Holmes discovered that Blackwood has mysterious powers by learning about his occult symbols that were drawn in his prison cell. In the film, Holmes teams up with Irene Watson to help find a red haired midget who is missing. They end up finding the midget inside Blackwood’s coffin, which is a sign that Blackwood has escaped. Holmes and Watson must catch Blackwood to have him arrested again before Blackwood kills more people.

I wasn’t so sure if this film was going to be any good or not. The reason I went and saw it, is because: 1) I like Guy Ritchie movies 2) I like Robert Downey Jr. 3) I like Sherlock Holmes stories. I was pretty surprised by this film because I find myself enjoying it a lot. It wasn’t bad at all as I thought it would be. It turned out to be very entertaining. Guy Ritchie did a fantastic job staying true from the Sherlock Holmes stories by Doyle. I thought Downey Jr. was the perfect choice for the Sherlock Holmes character. There was a lot of violence throughout most of the movie. Plenty of action scenes throughout. In the Sherlock Holmes stories, TV shows, radio shows, etc. they were supposed to be humorous, with the Sherlock character being weird and funny, all that. Robert Downey Jr, did a great job pulling that off.

Yes, from the trailers of the film, may seem kind of silly with Sherlock being a womanizer and those funny bed scenes with Irene Adams. Well, that’s how Sherlock Holmes was in the original stories by Doyle. Downey Jr., smoked a pipe like Holmes, he was a wrestler/fighter, like Holmes, the Holmes character even disguises himself a lot. Everything stayed true to the original character. I thought the writing was really good. The cinematography did a great job making the film give it a British feel. Guy Ritchie was the only guy that can do that.

I have no complaints with the film at all. To those out there that thinks the movie looks no good, just doesn’t understand Guy Ritchie’s vision of things. He’s one of the best film makers in Hollywood and one of my favorite directors. I thought Ritchie was the perfect choice to do a Holmes movie. I hope Ritchie stays with it and continues to do more sequels. “Sherlock Holmes” movie is definitely not Oscar worthy for anything, except maybe it does deserve an award for “Best Costume Design” that’s about it. It was still an entertaining movie and I liked it a lot. Bring on the sequel, Guy!

Score for “Sherlock Holmes” = **** (4 stars as in Excellent)

Kev